Machine for removing hard and stift hairs from furs or skins.



No. 706,964. Patented Aug. l2, I902.

a. LAFBIQUE.

MACHINE FOB REMOVING HARD ANN STIFF-HAIRS FROM FURS DH SKINS.

' (Application filed Apr. 22, 1901.

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No. 706,964. Patented Aug. I2, I902.

' G. LAFBIIIUE.

MACHINE FOB REMOVING HARD AND,STII-'F I-IAIBS FROM FURS UR SKINS.

' (Application filed Apr. 22, 1901.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shed 2.

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No. 706,964. Patented Aug. I2, I902.

a. LAFRIIIUE.

MACHINE FOR REMOVING HARD AND STIFF HAIBS FROM FUFIS 0R SKINS.(Application filed Apr. 22,- 1901.)

&No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

No. 706,964. Patented Aug. I2, I902.

G. LAFBIHUE.

MACHIN E FOR REMOVING HARD AND STIFF HAIRS FROM FURS 0R SKINS.

(Application filed. Apr. 22, 1901.)

(No Model.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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NITE STATES n'iinivr OFFIGE.

GABRIEL LAFRIQUE, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGN OR TO THE SOCIFTF LAFRIQUE,PINTON ET CIE., OF PARIS, FRANCE.

MACHINE FOR REMOVING HARD AND STIFF HAIRS FROM FURS OR SKINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 706,964, dated August12, 1902.

Application filed April 22, 1901. Rerial No. 56,953. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom, it ntcty concern:

Be it known that I, GABRIEL LAFRIQUE, engineer, a citizen of the FrenchRepublic, residing at Paris, France, (having post-office address 84Avenue Philippe Auguste, in said city,) have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Machines for Removing Hard and Stiff Hairs fromFurs or Skins, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines of the Oimiotti type for removinghard or stiff hairs from furs or skins. In these machines the furs orskins are passed over the edge of a beam and are subjected to the actionof a strong current of airblown onto the part of the fur or skin at thesaid edge, so that the flexible hairs lie down, While the hard or stiffhairs remain standing and are seized by suitable cutting or pullingdevices.

According to the present invention there is substituted for the externalair-current generally produced by bellows actuated by reciprocatingmotion a constant current of air produced by a rotary exhausterconnected to a row of machines arranged above an airchannel. The framingof the improved machine is hollow, and the air enters through twoadjustable openings provided on each side of the beam which supports theskins or furs. The flexible hairs bent down on each side of the edge ofthe beam are kept in that position by a comb or combs, while shearseffect the cutting of the hard or stiff hairs.

Another improvement consists in making the beam vertically movable, soas to subject the skin or fur to the action of the exhaust while it isbelow the aforesaid openings, this movement being combined with that ofa feeding-roll, so that the skin or fur moves forward a certain amountat each oscillation of the beam. An automatic stop-motion or gear devicestopsthe machine at the end of each operation, so that one mancan attendto several machines.

In order that my invention may be readily understood, I will describethe same fully with reference to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure'1 'is a front elevation with sectional parts of the machine. tionthrough the axle, showing the active Fig. 2 is a cross-sec- I parts intheir working position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus, theparts being in the inoperative position. Fig. 4 is a detail view, on anenlarged scale, of the driving mechanism of the beam and of the platesof the shears. Figs. 5 and 6 show the detailed form of the comb and ofthe plates of the shears.

In carrying out this invention a series of machines is arranged over achannel a, at the end of which a powerful air-exhauster is provided.Each machine comprises two standards Z) I), connected at the top andprovided with grooves in which covers a csay of sheet-ironcan slide.When the covers are closed, the machine acts as a vertical chimney, intowhich the air drawn by the exhauster enters through inlets (Z d,provided at the top of the machine and on each side of the top edge ofthe beam 6, over which the skin or fur is passed. The skin or fur f isfurther attached, as shown in Fig. 1, by means of cords with eyes, to anendless gauze g, stretched over the beam e, and a feeding-roll h,journaled at the lower part of the machine-framing.

The main driving-shaft 2' carries on one side a fast pulley j anda loosepulley 7c and on the other side a fiy-wheel m. The said main shaft alsocarries (for producing the various motions) approximately triangularcams n 0 and oval cam 17. The triangular cam 0 imparts (by means of aframe q, embracing it, and of a rod 0, connected thereto) reciprocatingvertical motions to the beam e, which is capable of moving in suitableguides. The said triangular cam also by 'means of a rod 5, connected tothe lower part of its frame, imparts to the aforesaid feed-roll at thelower part of the machine a vertical motion corresponding to that of thebeam, while the following arrangement causes at each oscillation of thebeam e and roller h the wire-gauze g, carrying the skin or fur f, tomove forward a certain amount.

The aforesaid feed-roll h is mounted in arms to, fulcrumed at 'v to thestandards of the machine. The spindle of the feed-roll It has keyed onit a toothed wheel as, gearing with a pinion 'y, keyed on a shaft .2,connecting both of the aforesaid arms to and carrying a ratchet-wheel 1,adapted to be engaged by a pawl 3, pivoted on the framework of themachineand held in its effective position by a spring 2. When the arms aare pushed downward by the rod 8, depending from the frame of theaforesaid triangular cam, the ratchet-wheel 1, carried by it and pressedby the pawl 3, pivoted to the standard, receives movement, which isimparted to the feed-roll h through the medium of the aforesaid toothedwheel 00 and pinion y. The gauze g, carrying the skin or fur, thereforemoves a certain amount over the edge of beam 0. While the arms a,carrying the feed-roll, are moving upward neither the roll nor theratchet-wheel is rotated; but the pawl 3, which is fixed to themachine-framing, slides backward over a few teeth, while a second pawl4:, pivoted on the arm 10, engages with the teeth of the ratchet, so asto prevent its rotation in the reverse direction. The second triangularcam 12. actuates, through the medium of its frame 5 and rod 6, asupporting-blade 7, arranged horizontally and sliding in a groove 8at'about forty-five degrees to the horizontal. This supporting-blade isin its lowest position level with the beam 6 and comes against the hardor stiff hairs, so as to act as a support while they are being cut. Tothe rod of the second cam is fixed a pin, on which rests one arm of thecomb-carrying lever 10, pivoted to the machine-frame in 11 and havingfixed to its upper end a comb 12. When the cam-rod 6 'moves downward,the said pin 9 depresses the comb-carrying lever 10 and the comb theedge of the beam 6.

comes in contact with the flexible or silky hairs and keeps them downwhile the hard or stiff hairs are being cut. The hard or stiff hairspass between the teeth of this comb. When the rod 6 moves upward, thecomb rises automatically under the action of a spring 11, attached toboth the frame of the machine and to the comb-carrying lever 10. Theoval cam p actuates the shearing-blade 13 through the medium of its rod14 and a lever 15, to which the said shearing-blade is attached. Itcomes into action as soon as the comb 12 is in its lowest position.

Inside the machine-frame and level with the air-passage a. is aflap-valve 16, capable of rotating on a central axis 17, connected in acrank 18 and rod 19 to a lever or handle 20, pivoted to themachine-frame. By pulling down this handle the valve is brought to ahorizontal position and the flow of air into the machine isinterrupted.The spindle of the feedroll h is connected by a chain and sprockets, as21 22 23, to a crank 24, pivoted to the machine-frame, by means of whichthe said feedroll it can be rotated and the position of the endlesswire-gauze g regulated and the skin orfur brought into the workingposition. On the side opposite to that on which this chain-gear isarranged is the automatic arrangement for throwing the machine out ofaction, so that said machine is stopped as soon as the whole of the skinor fur has passed over. This throwing-out arrangement comprises agrooved pulley 25, keyed on the spindle of the feed-roll and embraced bya cord 26, the efiective length of which is exactly equal to that of theskin or fur to be treated. This cord is attached to a bell-crank lever27, one arm of which supports the free end 28 of the belt-shifting fork29 to hold the belt on the fast pulley j. The fork is connected to themachine-frame by a spring 30, which tends to shift the fork onto theloose pulley. At the commencement of operation the cord 26 is slack, itbeing wound on the grooved pulley 25 as the operation progresses. Assoon as the cord 26 is wound for a certain length on the said groovedpulley 25 it pulls on the bell-crank 27, so that the free arm 28 of thebelt-shifting fork 29 ceases to rest therein and is acted upon by aspring 30 and shifts the belt onto the loose pulley and stops themachine.

The operation of a machine is as follows: When the machine is at rest,the sheet-iron covers are open and the flap-valve 16 closed, so that noair is drawn through the machine by the exhauster. The operative incharge of the machine fastens the skin or fur onto the movablewire-gauze g and then brings the skin or fur into the vicinity of theedge of the beam 6 by turning the lower roll it by means of the crank24:. He then closes the sheet-iron sliding covers and opens theflapvalve, and then the machine is set in motion by shifting thedriving-belt from the loose pulley it onto the fast pulley j by means ofthe belt-shifting fork 29. The hereinbefore-mentioned cams then act. Thetriangular cam o raises the upper edge of the cross-bar level with theair-inlets d 01, provided on each side of the bar. At the same time theother triangular cam n causes, by means of its frame 5 and rod 6, thehorizontal supporting-blade 7 to descend to the level of the saidair-inlets d, while the comb comes opposite the supporting-blade 7, soas to keep down the flexible hair depressed by the current of air. Whenthe cross-bar e, comb 12, and supporting-blade 7 are in this position,the oval cam p comes into action and lowers suddenly the shearing-blade13, which cuts all the hard or stifi hairs protruding through the teethof the comb 12 while it bears against the blade 7. As soon as theshearing has taken place the triangular cam n raises thesupporting-blade 7 and the comb 12, while the triangular cam 0 causesthe cross-beam e to move downward. The downward movement of this beameifects the rotation of the feed-roll h and the progress of the skin orfur, as hereinbefore explained. At each revolution of the machine thecord 26 is wound up on the aforesaid grooved pulley 25. When this cord,the length of which is adjusted according to the size of the skin orfur, is well stretched, it pulls on the bellcrank 27 and stops themachine.

On reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the pipe 31 enters theair-passage a, and rises therefrom, the upper open end or outlet of saidpipe being located over the inlets d d. The lower or inlet end of thispipe is situated upon the blast side of a fan in such air-passage, sothat a blast of air can be sent through thepipe, being discharged at thedelivery end thereof and against the flexible hairs upon the hide, so asto cause such hairs to lie down, and thereby facilitate the shearingoperation. As the fan forms no part of the present invention, I havedeemed it unnecessary to illustrate the same.

What I claim is 1. In a machine of the class described, a hollow columnconstituting the framework of the machine, the walls of the column beingimperforate to permit the direct passage through said column of anair-blast and a beam Within the column, the beam being arranged betweenopposite walls of the column and one of said walls consisting of aplurality of vertically-slidable plates in overlapping relation.

2. In a machine of the class described, a hollow column constituting theframework of the machine, the walls of the column being imperforate topermit the direct passage through said column of an air-blast, and thefront and rear walls consisting of a plurality of overlapping platessupported for vertical sliding movement by the side walls, a beam withinthe column, the beam being arranged between opposite walls of thecolumn, an airexhausting channel below and in communication with saidhollow column, and a valve for controlling the admission of air intosaid channel.

3. In a machine of the class described, a beam mechanism for operatingthe beam includin g a pulley, a loose pulley, a belt shiftable from oneof said pulleys to the other, a belt-shipper, means for positivelyoperating the same in one direction, a holding device for engaging saidbelt-shipper, a pulley operative with the beam-operating mechanism, anda cord on said last-mentioned pulley connected with and adapted tooperate said holding device.

I In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GABRIEL LAFRIQUE.

IVitnesses:

EDWARD P. MACLEAN, EMILE KLoTZ.

